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Description
The struggle against terrorism—more specifically, the effort to prevent terrorist attacks—has raised difficult legal and policy issues including so-called targeted killing, or the killing of specific individuals because of their involvement in terrorist organizations and operations. As we shall see, this form of targeted killing involves domestic and international legal authorities and policy and prudential issues. A substantial number of countries confronting what they consider to be terrorist attacks and threats engage in targeted killings. Each has to resolve questions about authorities and prudence because, while terrorists are always criminals, they also may be lawful military targets. The dual character of terrorists leads to the conclusion that, as a matter of policy, a state should weigh the totality of the circumstances and conclude that no other action is reasonable to prevent a terrorist attack before engaging in the targeted killing. Careful analysis in advance may preempt problems later.
Document Type
Policy Brief
Publication Date
3-2014
Publication
Strategic Forum
Publisher
National Defense University Press
City
Washington, DC
Recommended Citation
Rostow, Nicholas, "Targeted Killing of Terrorists" (2014). Strategic Forums. 86.
https://digitalcommons.ndu.edu/strategic-forums/86